Alan Kurtz’s Comments

Ruben, I take it that "REL TO USA" and "FVEY" mean that the NSA shared this JTRIG training guide with the other members of the Five Eyes. However, my objection is to Techdirt's manipulative and deceitful headline, which proclaims: "New Snowden Doc Reveals How GCHQ/NSA Use The Internet To 'Manipulate, Deceive And Destroy Reputations.'" The document in questionó"The Art of Deception: Training for Online Covert Operations"óreveals no such thing. There's no evidence from Glenn Greenwald or anyone else that the NSA ever attempted to implement the ideas in GCHQ's guide. Honestly, isn't there enough hysteria surrounding the tens of thousands of NSA files that Snowden stole and passed to Greenwald et al.? Mike Masnick's compulsion to singlehandedly pour fuel on the flames is reprehensible.

Mike Masnick, you are mistaken. Glenn Greenwald explained that the "four classified GCHQ documents presented to the NSA" formed the basis of articles recently published by NBC News. This new JTRIG document appeared at the Intercept, where Greenwald never claimed that "The Art of Deception: Training for Online Covert Operations" had been presented to or shared with the NSA. Indeed, Mr. Greenwald was very careful to not say that. I reiterate: your headline is manipulative and deceitful.

This story's headline reveals how Techdirt uses the Internet to manipulate, deceive and destroy reputations. The "New Snowden Doc" in question reveals nothing about how the NSA uses the Internet. Rather, it's entirely about UK counterpart GCHQ. But that doesn't deter Techdirt from adding "NSA" to its headline for the purpose of discrediting the U.S. government. This is analytical insight into the news? Seems to me more like tabloid-style sensationalism.